1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to reels for fishing rods, of the fixed spool type with line recovery. The invention applies more especially to such a reel whose line reserve, called "spool" or "drum", is a part substantially of revolution formed of two radially extending flanges joined together by a cylindrical hub extending axially from one flange to the other, this spool being removably fitted at the front end of a spool support shaft itself mounted for rotation in the reel case and acted on by a rear brake.
2. Description of the Prior Art
All present-day reels of this type comprise a device for making the spool removable with respect to its support shaft. For example, the document U.S. Pat. No. 2,865,662 describes such a reel with removable spool in which the front end of the spool support shaft comprises a peripheral groove in which is engaged a resilient key fast with the spool. An axial pusher accessible on the front face of the spool comprises a conical internal end which, when pushed in, is engaged between the legs of the key and forces them apart so that the key comes out of the peripheral groove of the support shaft.
Such a device is adapted to different types of fishing, particularly for casting or spinning. During recovery of the line, the line recuperator winds the line on the spool. The tension of the line may be limited and adjusted by adjusting the rear brake which controls the resistant torque between the spool support shaft and the reel case: when the line is pulled with a tension greater than a given value, the rear brake allows the spool support shaft and the spool to rotate while opposing a resistance as a function of the engagement of the brake.
It is however apparent that such a device is not particularly well adapted for fishing with a sinker. In this type of fishing, the rod is laid on a support and if the line recuperator is left in the recovery position, the spool support shaft must be uncoupled from the case to allow the line to unwind freely when the fish has bitten. Under these conditions, the braking torque of the rear brake is adjusted to its minimum so that the line is just held sufficiently to withstand the current of the river or the wind, but adjusting the braking torque again before striking is slow and inconvenient, for it requires long and constraining handling of the rear brake, so that fishermen give up using this method.
If the line recuperator is open, the resistance is then insufficient and the line unwinds from the spool under the action of the water current or the wind.
With present-day equipment, fishermen are reduced to jamming the line, for example under a stone, so as to produce a limited temporary retaining force which disappears when the fish bites. Such a method, however, requires experience and skill, and it lacks reliability.
In the document DE-U-8 631 555 a fishing reel structure has been proposed comprising: a spool support shaft mounted for rotation in a reel case and acted on by a rear brake, a spool fitted removably at the front end of the shaft, means for locking the spool for rotation on its shaft, and a line recovery drum. In this document, the shaft comprises, in the intermediate position, an annular groove (9) and, in the vicinity of its front end, a second annular groove (8), the two grooves being spaced apart form each other with an axial offset; a resilient element (14), fast with the spool, engages in one or other of the grooves for holding the spool on the shaft in a first axial position when the resilient element (14) is engaged in the first groove (9) and for maintaining the spool on the shaft in a second axial position when the resilient element (14) is engaged in the second groove (8); a key (10) fast with the shaft is engaged in a radial groove (11) of the spool for locking the spool for rotation on the shaft when it is in its first axial position; in the second axial position, the key (10) is disengaged from the groove (11) and allows the spool to rotate freely with respect to the shaft. The two grooves (9, 8) have abrupt lateral faces and hold the spool in one or other of the axial positions on the shaft, passage from one axial position to the other requires the actuation of a button (16) which moves the resilient element (14) out of the grooves (9, 8).
Thus the device described in this document makes it possible to free the spool for rotation on its shaft when it is in its second axial position, i.e. when the spool is the furthest away from the drum and when the resilient element (14) is engaged in the second axial position (8) closer to the end of the shaft. Passage from the second axial position to the first axial position, for again locking the spool for rotation on the shaft, requires a button (16) to be actuated.
Such a device is not adapted to using the reel for fishing with a sinker, for it does not allow the braking torque to be conveniently and rapidly adjusted again before striking.